It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Saturday, March 18, 2023
Residential Heat Pumps Could Cut U.S. Energy Consumption In Half
Heat pumps are an effective way to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Heat pumps can source two thirds of their energy from the environment, requiring only one third from electricity.
Installing heat pumps in residential and commercial buildings has the potential to cut US energy consumption in half.
In November of last year, some of the greatest minds and biggest influencers in the global energy sector gathered in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt for the 27th annual Conference of the Parties (COP27) to discuss climate change. The two week conference was crowded with lofty goals, emerging technologies, and innovative approaches, but one of the most effective strategies for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions was ignored almost entirely: energy efficiency.
As the World Economic Forum wrote in a report from the sidelines of COP27, “the greenest energy is the energy we don’t use.” But in another sense, the energy that we don’t use is actually one of the biggest problems of the day in the energy sector. Fossil fuel production is responsible for a massive amount of ‘rejected energy,’ which is “wasted primary energy, or energy which serves no useful purpose in our society or economy,” according to a definition from CleanTechnica. “Virtually all of the rejected energy is waste heat from burning fossil fuels. A tiny fraction is transmission losses for electricity.”
Eliminating or minimizing energy waste is therefore an essential component of energy efficiency, and, in turn, an essential component of meeting global climate goals. One promising avenue for increasing energy efficiency, which is increasingly gaining traction in scientific and political spheres, is through the use of heat pumps.
In terms of residential energy use, which represents approximately 12% of United States energy consumption (as per the Lawrence Livermore National Library (LLNL) figure provided above), the lion’s share goes to heating and cooling. Together, these two uses account for 55% of domestic energy demand, according to the Energy Information Agency (EIA). Heating, in particular, is the biggest source of energy rejection, primarily through waste heat. This is where heat pumps come in.
Heat pumps are simple, effective, and relatively easy and cheap to install. More importantly, they’re extremely energy efficient, sourcing about two thirds of their energy from the surrounding environment and just one third from electricity. They work by digging just 10 feet under the surface of the Earth – often under your driveway or in your backyard – where the ambient temperature is more or less constant year-round and can be used to heat or cool air, or to make hot water, thereby providing a highly efficient, low-emissions component of your home’s cooling and heating system.
Heat pumps could also be used in commercial buildings, greatly reducing that sector’s approximately 9% share of total U.S. energy consumption. Applying heat pumps in industrial buildings, however, is a bit trickier. “A lot of industrial heat is above 200° Celsius, the current reasonable limit for industrial heat pumps, and well above the 100° limit for current mature heat pump technologies,” explained a recent article from CleanTechnica. So heat pumps don’t provide a silver bullet solution for all of our heating and cooling needs, but they could go a long way toward reducing energy demand.
According to calculations from that CleanTechnica article, with strategic installation of heat pumps, the United States energy requirements could be cut in half. “Instead of having to replace all energy services, we only have to replace the portion of heat we can’t get from the environment for free,” the article argues. “Our economies [would] have enormous room to grow useful outputs without increasing energy services at all.” This would take massive pressure off of the government and public alike to fund a massive expansion of clean energy which, in many ways, we aren’t structurally and systemically ready for.
Already, there is a lot of chatter about energy pumps. In the United States, the Biden administration’s landmark Inflation Reduction Act has earmarked $500 million in tax breaks for U.S. residents who install heat pumps in their houses. Tesla, often an industry trendsetter, has talked about getting into the heating up heat pump market. In Europe, annual sales of heat pumps have gone through the roof since the start of the energy crisis spurred by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to some figures, heat pumps have already prevented 8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in Europe. All of this is a promising development, but the kind of climate-saving heat pump revolution described by CleanTechnica is going to require a takeover of epic proportions that we have yet to see.
By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com
Russian Oil Company Lukoil Snaps Up Offshore Blocks In Congo
Russian oil company Lukoil has said it now has rights to two offshore energy blocks in the Republic of Congo in partnership with Italian oil giant Eni.
The rights to the offshore blocks, known as Marine 24 and Marine 31, are now held by Lukoil with a 43% interest, Interfax said. Lukoil said that Congo accepted its application for the blocks, submitted with partner Eni.
The commercial terms for the venture have yet to be agreed on.
Lukoil already has a presence in the Republic of Congo in the Marine XII project, operated by Eni.
"First of all, we are interested in projects where Lukoil could act as operator. We have discussed a number of such opportunities today," Lukoil's Vice-President for America, Africa and the Middle East Ivan Romanovsky said after a meeting with the Congolese Minister of Hydrocarbons Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua.
Lukoil purchased a 25% stake in Marine XII in 2019 for $800 million. Eni, which holds a 65% stake in the project, signed a contract with China's Wison Heavy Industry to build an FLNG installation with a capacity of 2.4 million tonnes.
While Congo and Eni appear to be welcoming Lukoil with open arms, other projects Lukoil has sought to proceed with are being held up thanks to sanctions-related cold feet. In Ghana, Lukoil is looking to sell its stake in the Peacan field development because banks have been nervous about getting involved due to sanctions. Aker Energy, Lukoil's partner, also grew nervous about moving forward on the project with the private Russian oil company.
Lukoil also recently was approved by Iraq's Thi-Qar Oil to develop the Eridu oilfield after submitting a development plan back in 2021.
By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com
Nikola Tesla’s Immaculate Energy Conception Finally Realized?
Scientists have been working to create energy from thin air for over a century, and recent breakthroughs like the Air-Gen, CATCHER, and the Huc enzyme are making this dream a reality.
The Air-Gen is capable of using naturally occurring proteins to turn humidity in the surrounding air into electricity.
CATCHER harnesses zirconium oxide cells to create energy from atmospheric humidity, while the Huc enzyme can power small portable devices such as biometric sensors and digital clocks
Scientists have dreamed of creating energy out of thin air for over a century. Nikola Tesla was already conducting experiments along these lines in the 1930s. But recently the calls for immaculate energy conception have grown louder. Transitioning away from fossil fuels in time to avoid the worst of the climate crisis will be the single biggest cooperative undertaking the world has ever tried to achieve, and the imperative has pushed scientists to dream big. Some of the resulting brainstorming and experimentation sounds ripped from the pages of a science fiction dimestore novel, or like wishful thinking rather than methodology. But scientists have been getting closer and closer to making the impossible possible: harvesting energy from the air.
In 2021, researchers from the American University of Massachusetts Amherst announced that they had invented a device called the Air-gen, short for air-powered generator. The apparatus is capable of using a naturally occurring protein to turn humidity in the surrounding air to create electricity. This is done through a film made up of protein nanowires sourced from the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens. The team of researchers claimed that this technology “could have interesting implications for the future of renewable energy, climate change, and the future of medicine.” The film, which is just a few microns thick, has proven to be effective. "We are literally making electricity out of thin air. The Air-gen generates clean energy 24/7. It's the most amazing and exciting application of protein nanowires yet,” explained researcher and paper author Jun Yao.
A year later, in 2022, the European Union began funding for a new project – called CATCHER – which similarly aims to create energy from atmospheric humidity, but in this case through the use of cells made from zirconium oxide, a ceramic material used in all kinds of applications from dental implants to nuclear fuel rods. “When exploring the properties of nanomaterials made from zirconium oxide seven years ago, researchers started to see evidence of hygroelectricity,” the European Commission's Horizon magazine reported in December. In the last seven years, they’ve come a long way, but the technology is still a very far cry from scalability and practical application. At present, “an 8-by-5-centimetre plate of their material can generate around 0.9 volt in a laboratory with a humidity of around 50%,” or about the output of one half of an AA battery.
Now, just this year, scientists at Monash University in Australia have made yet another air-to-energy breakthrough. This time, the key material is an enzyme named Huc. The enzyme is found in the bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis, a cousin of the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis and leprosy. Huc is already a powerhouse of air-to-energy conversion, used by the bacterium to create energy in extreme environments with few other energy sources.
Once extracted, the researchers say that the enzyme can be used to power “a range of small portable electrical devices [...] including biometric sensors, environmental monitors, digital clocks, and calculators or simple computers.” So far, the various applications for Huc exist in more of a thought experiment than a tested hypothesis, but the scientists responsible think that Huc has the potential for greatness. “"When you provide Huc with more concentrated hydrogen, it produces more electrical current," said lead author Rhys Grinter. "Which means you could use it in fuel cells to power more complex devices, like smart watches, or smartphones, more portable complex computers, and possibly even a car."
Projects aiming to create energy from air are clearly still in their nascency, but it would be difficult to overstate the potential ramifications if one of these technologies were to become scalable. Creating energy from thin air would solve countless issues related to climate change and other negative environmental externalities connected with energy production. Furthermore, a technology such as a bacterial enzyme would theoretically be accessible anywhere in the world, making the geopolitics of energy production more fair and decentrally distributed. In short, it could upend the global economy as we know it. Someday.
By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com
Battle Over Nuclear's Role In Renewable Energy Goals Continues
The battle over nuclear energy's role in the EU's renewable energy future is far from over, with Germany, Spain, and other EU countries fighting to keep nuclear energy from counting when it comes to calculating renewable energy targets, a letter seen by Reuters suggests.
France has made it clear that low-carbon hydrogen derived from nuclear energy should indeed count toward the bloc's renewable energy tarts. Spain, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Portugal, strongly disagree. On Thursday, the group sent a letter to the rotating EU presidency, arguing that renewable targets should not include nuclear.
The EU is working towards establishing new renewable energy targets, but the stalemate over nuclear's role is hindering progress.
"Taking into account low-carbon hydrogen and low-carbon fuels in the 2030 (renewable energy) targets would decrease the ambition and slow down renewables deployment, which in turn would jeopardize the achievement of the climate targets," the letter reads in part.
The group has argued that while nuclear might be low-carbon, it is not renewable.
France relies on nuclear energy for 70% of its power, and any goals that don't include nuclear energy are unlikely to gain France's support—a reality that could result in a permanent stalemate when it comes to resetting the bloc's renewable targets. In December, nuclear power generation went a long way in alleviating a strain on its electricity grid as temperatures dropped below freezing—but avoiding power cuts as many had warned leading up to the colder weather.
France struggled last fall with nuclear power as more than half of its reactors were offline due to maintenance. Some argued at the time that France was in a tight spot with energy supply because of its slow rollout of renewable energy.
Another disagreement that is currently in the way of reaching a new renewable deal is Germany's balking at the car emissions agreement.
Taiwan is phasing out nuclear power generation by 2025 and replacing it with LNG
Taiwan has closed its Kuosheng nuclear power plant this week and there are two remaining reactors set to be shut down in 2024 and 2025
Japan is revising its policy on nuclear energy generation post-Ukraine, allowing the development of new reactors and extending operation of existing ones
Taiwan is buying more LNG for delivery over the next year as it closed a nuclear reactor and is set to phase out nuclear power generation by 2025.
Taiwan’s CPC Corp bought via a tender this week at least 10 cargoes of LNG to be delivered between May this year and March next year, traders familiar with the deals told Bloomberg on Friday.
The LNG purchases are also part of Taiwan’s strategy to procure more gas to offset the decline in nuclear power generation, according to the traders.
This week, Unit 2 of Taiwan’s Kuosheng nuclear power plant was taken offline and will be decommissioned following the expiry of its 40-year operating license. There are now two remaining nuclear reactors operating in Taiwan at the Maanshan nuclear power plant. Those reactors are expected to be shut down in 2024 and 2025.
Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020, has a policy of phasing out nuclear generation by 2025.
While Taiwan proceeds with a nuclear power phase-out, other countries are rethinking their nuclear generation strategy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine sent oil, natural gas, and coal prices soaring and sparked energy security concerns.
Even Japan is bringing back nuclear power as a key energy source. Japan, which had vowed to reduce nuclear power as a source of electricity in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, is now considering using nuclear power for longer.
At the end of last year, the Japanese government confirmed a new nuclear energy policy, which the country had mostly abandoned since the Fukushima disaster in 2011.
A panel of experts under the Japanese Ministry of Industry decided late last year that Japan would allow the development of new nuclear reactors and allow available reactors to operate after the current limit of 60 years.
By Josh Owens for Oilprice.com
The U.S. Is Racing To Revitalize Its Nuclear Industry
The U.S. is ramping up its investments in nuclear power to bring it back from the brink and use it to support a green transition.
By 2021, the U.S. had 93 nuclear reactors in operation, with a combined generation capacity of 95,492 MW and 19 sites at various stages of decommissioning.
Public opinion has swayed in favor of nuclear power due to its promotion as a clean energy source and last year's energy crisis, resulting in greater government funding for the energy source.
Unlike many other countries around the world, the U.S. has kept its nuclear power up and running, making it the biggest producer of nuclear power today. Nevertheless, after falling out of public favor, nuclear power was little talked about in previous decades, with many power plants going into debt and barely keeping afloat. At present, nuclear power provides around 20 percent of the electricity generated in the United States, and this is largely thanks to government grants helping power plants maintain operations. But now, as countries worldwide consider nuclear power once again, the U.S. is ramping up its investments in the low-carbon energy source in a bid to bring nuclear back from the brink and use it to support a green transition.
The first nuclear power plant in the United States was opened in 1958, and by the end of 2021, the U.S. had 93 nuclear reactors in operation, across 55 nuclear power plants in 28 states. The combined generation capacity of these reactors totaled 95,492 MW. Many of the reactors are 40 years old or more, due to the reluctance to invest in new nuclear projects following several prolific disasters in previous decades. The last two nuclear reactors to come online were Watts Bar Unit 1 in 1996 and Watts Bar Unit 2 in 2016. In addition, several sites were closed over the last decade, with 19 sites at various stages of decommissioning by 2021.
Despite the poor public opinion of nuclear power in past decades, it continues to contribute a significant proportion of U.S. electricity. And last year, the Department of Energy (DoE) announced a $6 billion investment to preserve America’s clean energy nuclear infrastructure. The funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Civil Nuclear Credit Programme, which identified nuclear power as America’s largest source of clean energy. The DoE highlighted that helping the country’s nuclear plants survive would support thousands of clean energy jobs, as well as prevent the release of unnecessary carbon emissions. Nuclear power is now being seen by the DoE as key to achieving President Biden’s climate pledges and supporting the country’s green transition.
And it’s not only the government that has changed its stance on nuclear power, with recent polls showing greater public support for the energy source. A 2022 Gallup poll showed that public opinion has swayed in favor of nuclear power, with 51 percent for nuclear and 47 percent opposed. This marks a significant shift from 54 percent opposed in 2016. This change is likely largely in response to the energy crisis seen last year, which sent consumer energy bills soaring. In addition, the combination of nuclear power being promoted as a clean energy source and the length of time since the last major nuclear event has improved public perception.
Several strides were seen in the nuclear industry in 2022, after years of stagnation. The country’s biggest nuclear plant, Diablo Canyon in California, received a $1.1 billion conditional award of credits from the DoE to extend operations. There were originally plans for the plant to be decommissioned in 2024 and 2025, but this changed after introducing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Several advanced reactor firms saw progress toward deploying small modular reactors (SMRs) nationwide. And the DoE invested heavily in research and development, carrying out a study that determined that approximately 80 percent of U.S. coal power plant sites evaluated could be converted into nuclear power plants.
And there are big plans for 2023 and beyond. In a movement away from U.S. reliance on foreign uranium, the DoE is investing in developing domestic high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), with production expected to start this year. Meanwhile, at New York’s Nine Mile Point Nuclear Generating Station, we are seeing advances in combining clean energy projects with plans for the first production of clean hydrogen using low-temperature electrolysis this year. The hydrogen will be used to help cool the facility. This is one of four nuclear-powered hydrogen demonstration projects being supported by the DoE.
As well as publicly-funded projects, several private projects are gaining traction. Bill Gates’ TerraPower and X-energy are advancing on each of their construction permit applications, expected to submit them to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) within the next year. This could support the launch of new types of nuclear technologies such as TerraPower’s Natrium reactor – a sodium-cooled fast reactor, and X-energy’s Xe-100 high-temperature gas reactor SMR plant.
But now, all eyes are on Georgia Power’s Vogtle nuclear reactor, which was launched this month. The Vogtle nuclear reactor Unit 3 started a nuclear reaction inside the reactor last week, a process called “initial criticality.” This is the process in which nuclear fission begins to split atoms and generate heat. The heat makes the water boil, and the steam created spins a turbine that’s connected to a generator, creating electricity. Unit 3 will become fully operational in May or June, according to the company. The CEO of Georgia Power, Chris Womack, stated: “This is a truly exciting time as we prepare to bring online a new nuclear unit that will serve our state with clean and emission-free energy for the next 60 to 80 years.”
As both the U.S. government stance and public opinion shift in favour of nuclear power, we can expect to see investment in the sector increase substantially, and new operations come online. An increase in public funding for nuclear projects is helping to create momentum around research and development, supporting innovations in nuclear technology and the potential for creating non-traditional reactors. Meanwhile, private companies are responding to DoE investments by putting their money into nuclear power to support decarbonization aims and, ultimately a green transition.
By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com
Nord Stream 1's Operator Plans to Seal and Preserve Damaged Pipelines
Gas bubbles up from one of the ruptured Nord Stream pipelines, September 27 (file image)
The operator of the damaged Nord Stream 1 pipeline system is planning to conserve the pipes from saltwater damage in case there is ever a desire to put them back in service, according to an executive with German utility E.ON.
The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 subsea pipeline complexes were hit by explosive blasts on September 26. Investigators have determined that the attack was a deliberate act of sabotage, but the identity of the attacker is disputed.
Each complex is made up of two parallel pipelines, four pipes in total. Both of the Nord Stream 1 pipes were severed, along with one of the two Nord Stream 2 pipes.
Pipeline industry experts have warned that the timeline is ticking on repairs, if any are desired. Saltwater begins to take a toll on the interior of a damaged pipeline, and the longer it remains immersed, the greater the damage.
The methods for conducting a subsea repair on the four-foot-wide pipelines already exist, as the same techniques and tooling were used during the lines' construction for joining up sections. Political will and commercial demand are another question: At the time of the sabotage attack, the lines had already been shut down due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the intervening months, Europe has gone to great expense to remove Russian natural gas and oil from its energy markets.
While the commercial conditions for a repair may not be ripe at the moment, the operating company for Nord Stream 1 plans to preserve the lines in case Europe ever wants to resume imports of inexpensive Russian gas.
"The operating company [Nord Stream AG] is currently concentrating on clarifying how the two destroyed lines can first be sealed and drained so that the lines do not corrode further," said E.ON CFO Marc Spieker in a results briefing on Wednesday. "From today's perspective, it is complete speculation whether they will at some point aim for a repair . . . It depends on many factors - political, social, economic. Only time will tell."
E.ON holds a 15.5 percent stake in the Nord Stream 1 operating company. This week, E.ON reduced its estimate of the value of that stake to zero, reflecting the challenges Nord Stream 1 faces to reactivation. The other shareholders are Russian state gas producer Gazprom (51 percent), along with Gasunie, Wintershall Dea and Engie.
